Craig's Compass Crosses Catholics
Hardyboy
Posts: 5,906Chief of Staff
Poor Dan Craig can't seem to make a movie without cheesing somebody off. First it was Casino Royale, and now The Catholic League is protesting the upcoming His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass. Here's one take on the story, from a "family values" site called CitizenLink:
Golden Compass Reveals a World Where There is No God
by Jennifer Mesko, associate editor
Parents need to pay attention to movie that promotes atheism and denigrates Christianity.
Golden Compass, which hits theaters in December, creates a parallel world where human souls take the form of animal companions. It's based on Philip Pullman's first novel in His Dark Materials trilogy. It's touted as the next, best fantasy series, but family advocates say parents need to beware.
"The problem is that kids may see the film and ask their parents for the books," said Kiera McCaffrey, director of communications for the Catholic League. "The trilogy of books, especially the third volume, promotes atheism and denigrates Christianity. This is central to the plot.
"We would advise parents not to take their children to see the film, and certainly not to buy them the books. The danger is that parents will not realize, from the film, what Pullman is promoting. Pullman's trilogy shows a world where there is no God."
Adam Holz, associate editor for Focus on the Family's Plugged In magazine and Web site, called the series "heretical."
"Pullman has been openly hostile about C.S. Lewis, and has been pretty clear about his desire to offer an alternate fantasy series based on what he would describe as humanist principles," he said.
"There's so much fantasy stuff out there. Don't be deceived. Don't be swept into the marketing hype. There are serious worldview and theological problems with Pullman's story.
"I think parents need to be paying attention, to be vigilant and to be engaged."
I've never read these books and I don't know a thing about them, but since when is opposing the values of C. S. Lewis "heretical?" Ah, well, all this controversy is likely to mean that Craig will have another hit on his hands.
Golden Compass Reveals a World Where There is No God
by Jennifer Mesko, associate editor
Parents need to pay attention to movie that promotes atheism and denigrates Christianity.
Golden Compass, which hits theaters in December, creates a parallel world where human souls take the form of animal companions. It's based on Philip Pullman's first novel in His Dark Materials trilogy. It's touted as the next, best fantasy series, but family advocates say parents need to beware.
"The problem is that kids may see the film and ask their parents for the books," said Kiera McCaffrey, director of communications for the Catholic League. "The trilogy of books, especially the third volume, promotes atheism and denigrates Christianity. This is central to the plot.
"We would advise parents not to take their children to see the film, and certainly not to buy them the books. The danger is that parents will not realize, from the film, what Pullman is promoting. Pullman's trilogy shows a world where there is no God."
Adam Holz, associate editor for Focus on the Family's Plugged In magazine and Web site, called the series "heretical."
"Pullman has been openly hostile about C.S. Lewis, and has been pretty clear about his desire to offer an alternate fantasy series based on what he would describe as humanist principles," he said.
"There's so much fantasy stuff out there. Don't be deceived. Don't be swept into the marketing hype. There are serious worldview and theological problems with Pullman's story.
"I think parents need to be paying attention, to be vigilant and to be engaged."
I've never read these books and I don't know a thing about them, but since when is opposing the values of C. S. Lewis "heretical?" Ah, well, all this controversy is likely to mean that Craig will have another hit on his hands.
Vox clamantis in deserto
Comments
As a "conservative" (quotes because others would label me such because of my denomination) Christian myself I have no outright objectivity to the film itself. If parents are sharp enough they should make the informed decision to not let their children see it if they feel it will be detrimental to their upbringing and harming to their faith. However, they may also make the informed decision to have their children watch it with them and then talk to them about it afterwards.
Much can be said through fantasy. C.S. Lewis wrote clearly of theological beliefs etc. in his Narnia series and his Space Trilogy. J.R.R. Tolkien let his beliefs spice his writings (including LOTR). So, Pullman's thoughts and beliefs must also pepper his books.
I tire of Christians avoiding movies like GC (Golden Compass) because they feel it is "un-Christian" or even "anti-Christian." By steering your children away from such movies you may be doing more harm than good. I encourage parents etc. to watch the movie and talk about it with their kids, not avoid it.
I know that parents who let their kids see/read Harry Potter and talk about it are much better off than parents and kids who ban such a thing.
From another perspective, it looks like a damn fine movie with great special effects and a good v. evil storyline. In the end it is fantasy, no matter how tinged with Pullman's beliefs. JRR Tolkien and C.S. Lewis did not mean to convert people with their Christian belief inspired fantasies, nor do I think does Pullman (nor was Dan Brown for that matter).
I respect your choice to not watch the movie, good on ya. However, I don't respect people who will denoune a fantasy movie before watching it or caring to engage with it. In addition, I encourage those who might not want to watch it to go ahead and see it, engage it, and discuss it. Christians too often shy away from the world anyways.
Whew, that was a long post. Got me on my soapbox to say the least. In the end you can see where I come from...I hope. You can tell I am going to probably see the movie (if not in theatres then when it comes out on DVD), and that being a Christian it has not changed the way I enjoy Bond, which some people believe to be the devil's puppet as well! Christians have done and said enough in hate, it's time we say and do things without such disdain. Cheers! {[]
PS Hardyboy...love the aliteration with the thread title. Brilliant!
But as you said, YKMN, I don't think Lewis and Tolkien were trying to shape the world with their beliefs - they were merely letting their beliefs shape their stories, which is part of what makes them so successful: They're 'heartfelt' from the writer's POV. If Pullman has an audience, then let them enjoy.
I find it interesting to see how so many Christians express their disdain for political correctness, yet wanting to ban a book because it is "heretical" is actually quite PC in itself. There are lots of fantasy things like this that people complain about. An author's personal beliefs will show themselves in a story, that much is inevitable. I'm sure if I wrote a story about aliens, God would show himself in it somewhere along the line.
One example is a certain area of Final Fantasy XII in which you read that "the theory that the sun is a fiery object has been discredited, since the sun does not prefer fire, rather it prefers holy things, thus it is a holy object" (not verbatim). This is most likely a reference to what was considered science in Medieval days. A reference to the days when everyone believed the sun rotated around the Earth and that the Celestial Sphere was perfect, flawless, home to heaven. The fact is that the game takes place in a science fiction version of Medieval Europe, there's no hidden meaning behind it. If anything, it's more of a nod to the actual history it is referencing.
Although this is just to make my point, as I've never heard anyone complain about it (although I'm sure someone has). There certainly was enough apocalyptic banter about Harry Potter and Pokemon being heresy (should the English language even use this word anymore?). I even saw one person's writing go so far as to say that epileptic seizures caused from watching TV are caused by the program being demon possessed...
My point is that if you watch and read about fantasy, that's all it is: fantasy, and that's all it should be taken for. People read into "hidden meanings" too much. I'll admit that if I saw a book entitled His Dark Materials, like Daren, I would probably not read it as it might feel like a thorn (for lack of a better word) in my Christian beliefs. Yet I'm not going to go around saying "Stay away, lest ye be heretics!" 8-)
This is just a side note, but I'm largely opposed to censorship of almost any kind. Film rating systems and such... Bah!
But this was always going to happen with this film, so it's no big surprise to anyone.
points to Hardy for his Alliteration in the topic title.
~Pen -{
mountainburdphotography.wordpress.com
That's great news indeed. I didn't even notice that, a new piece of trivia for the Bond enthusiast. Thanks everyone on this thread for the positive feedback and the healthy discussion. I always am encouraged when these threads don't turn into belief bashing...but I guess that only happens when we are talking about Bond.